When the atty/carto is working correctly it will work great on the Riva. The real issue is when the atty/carto starts to die and gets to be too low resistance. I know from experience that 1 Ohm is low enough to blow up a Riva, while 1.5 works nicely. I just got a new Riva, and from now on I'll be periodically checking my atties with a meter. If they fall anywhere below 1.4 they're going in the bin.
Any atty, and presumably carto, can fail in a way to cause the resistance to fall too low and blow up a Riva (eGo, etc...). It's not just the LR ones, although because they run hotter they probably have a higher chance of failing in this way.
Never tried BWB (yet) but from what I've heard the Chinese 555 won't hold a candle to theirs. Personally I can't stand any of the Chinese flavors, too chemical-ey. The wife likes Dekang menthol though.